Fan Boy
by Momentous
Summary: A student of Ben is a big fan of the comic book Rage and more importantly it's adorable writer. One Shot!


Title: Fan Boy  
Disclaimer: I own nothing, sadly! If I did I'd be much much richer!  
Rating: Completely G unless people have problems with kissing.  
Warning: I don't think I added any spoilers but I have a tendency to forget things and be spoilerish any way (hence my sister is on season 2 and knows most of the show through the finale. Also, there is a man on man relationship, but if this bothers you, why are you reading fic in the QaF fandom?

* * *

_**Carnegie Mellon**_

Ben was packing up after the first class of the term, sharing a few pleasantries with his students as they filed out of the room. He was in a hurry to get home; he was planning a special surprise-for-no-occasion romantic dinner for Michael. He was about to leave the room when he noticed a young red haired boy sitting in the front row reading the syllabus intently.

"Is there something I can help you with?" Ben asked, trying to remember the student's name. "Your name is James correct?"

"Um… well, it's Jason, Jason Anderson. I was just wondering if there was a typo on the reading list."

"I don't believe so," Ben responded as he approached Jason and read the reading list over his shoulder. "Nope, no typos. That's the list."

"So we really get to read a comic as part of class reading?"

"You mean _Rage_! Yes I think it is a excellent piece of modern literature that shines a positive light on the gay community."

"I love _Rage_. I have every issue ever written, which isn't that many unfortunately. I actually met the writer, Michael Novotny."

Ben smiled at his new favorite student. He couldn't wait to get home and tell Michael about his devoted fan.

"Did you know he owns a comic store near by? That's where I met him. He's brilliant and very nice and pretty cute actually." Jason was blushing now.

"I think so too," Ben smiled. "That's why I married him."

Jason's blush deepened. "Oh my God. I am so sorry, sir! I didn't know. I didn't mean to say anything."

"It's ok Jason, I know my husband is brilliant and adorable. Just promise me you'll help me keep enthusiasm up when we get to _Rage_."

"No problem, sir. I can't wait. See you next class," Jason said as he headed out the door.

_**

* * *

Ben and Michael's House**_

Michael opened the front door and was instantly met with a wonderful spicy smell, and a deep passionate kiss from his gorgeous husband. Ben had a fabulous way of making mundane days exciting.

"What'd I do to deserve such special treatment?" Michael asked, wrapping his arms around Ben's waist.

"Nothing," Ben shrugged and kissed him again. "I just felt like making a nice dinner tonight."

"Lucky me!"

Ben kissed Michael one more time before breaking free and heading to the kitchen. "Sit down, dinner's almost ready."

"Where's Hunter?"

"He's at the library working on a project with a couple of class mates."

A devilish grin spread across Michael's lips. "So we're all alone then," Michael stated more than asked in his most adorably sensual tone, which sounded a bit like a purring kitten.

"Don't get your hopes up too high, he'll be home by nine-thirty."

Moments later Ben was serving Michael a fabulous spicy dish that Michael couldn't pronounce even if he did know its name.

"So, I met a very interesting student today," Ben said, a little smirk spreading across his face.

"Do tell."

"His name is Jason, and he is a fan of i Rage /i and its adorable writer."

"Adorable?"

"His words not mine, though I do happen to agree."

"How does he know what I look like? Are you showing pictures of me in class?"

"Well, as much as I enjoy showing off how cute my husband is, no. He's been to your store. He said you were a very nice. He also added 'brilliant' and 'cute' to the list of your attributes."

"Ok, now you're making this up!" Michael said beginning to blush.

_**

* * *

Michael's Store**_

Michael had been watching the tall red-haired boy browsing the shelves for the past thirty-minutes. He'd been in the store much longer than that, starring at Michael. Whenever Michael would look-up, the boy would look away and instantly grab whatever comic was directly in front of him, flip through a few pages and then put it back as soon as Michael was preoccupied again. Michael was getting very uncomfortable.

"Can I help you?" Michael asked, causing the boy to jump back nearly a foot.

"Um… Well, no I don't actually need any help. I was just wondering… you are Michael Novotny, right? They guy who wrote i Rage /i !"

"Yeah," Michael responded trying not to sound to suspicious of his newly acquired stalker.

"Well, see I go to Carnegie Mellon and I'm in Professor Bruckner's class he said he's your husband so I figured you'd know him and he is having the class read i Rage /i and I was wondering if I could get you to sign my copy I wanted to ask you when I bought it but I was too shy and I thought that maybe now that I'm in your husband's class you might be willing."

Michael was amazed that Jason could say all of that in one breath. He was also trying, with all his strength, not to laugh at the boy. "You're Jason right? Ben mentioned you last night."

"Professor Bruckner mentioned me? Wow! So, will you sign my comic?"

"Of course I'll sign your comic. I would have signed it even if you weren't in Ben's class. You have no idea how cool it is to have people ask for an autograph. Trust me it never gets old."

Jason was beaming as he reached into his bag to retrieve his copy of i Rage /i , packaged respectfully in a plastic comic bag and supported by a small piece of cardboard. He handed the comic to Michael with reverence. Michael had a mini flashback to the first time he met Stan Lee at a convention and had him sign a copy of i Spider Man /i . Michael walked over to the counter and pulled out his silver sharpie, the one he used when he signed comics because he thought the silver looked cool on the usually black background.

_To Jason_

_A true fan,_

_A man after my own heart,_

_And, hopefully, an A+ student!_

_Michael Novotny_

"Thank you so much!" Jason gasped as he read Michael's comments. He left the store starring at the comic. Michael smiled at him as he went, it always felt good to be appreciated.

_**

* * *

Ben and Michael's House**_

Ben was sitting on the sofa reading when Michael crawled into his lap. "Guess who came into my store today!"

Ben removed his glasses and set down his book. "I'm intrigued, who?"

"A young red-head named Jason who thinks I'm brilliant."

"Really? Why was he there?"

"He wanted me to sign his comic. I was so proud of the kid, he had i Rage /i all bagged and boarded. He reminded me of me when I was younger. He's a really cute kid."

Ben had to suppress a moment of jealousy i he probably just means cute like a puppy cute, not the cute that Jason meant when talking about Michael /i Ben told himself as Michael related the rest of his story.

**_

* * *

Michael's Store __a few weeks later_**

Ben had been getting a little frustrated with all the Jason-stopped-by-the-store-today stories that seemed to come-up at least every other night. It was sweet the first time, but it got less cute with every story. Ben knew that Jason thought Michael was cute, and Michel had called Jason cute, and he knew Michael could be rather oblivious to people's attractions. He was doing his best to fight back his jealousy, but the scene he was witnessing at the comic store wasn't helping.

"Did you hear me, Ben? Jason's going to help me with inventory tonight. I probably won't be home until pretty late."

Ben shook himself back to reality, "Yeah, ok, but… um… Jason you've got the essay due tomorrow, I don't want you to sacrifice your grades to help Michael."

"I finished my essay three days ago professor. I wanted to get a couple of people to proof it for me. It's already to turn in."

Ben fought the urge to call him a brown-noser. Jason probably would be one of his favorite students if he weren't so jealous. He always participated in class. His work was always done on time or early and it was never less than perfect. Ben really wished he could give the kid just one 'F' or maybe even a 'B-', but Ben wasn't that type of teacher. "Ok then, will you guys need dinner? I could bring something over later."

"No, Jason and I were planning on getting pizza. Inventory is a very pizza worthy event!"

"Well, ok then," Ben responded before grabbing Michael into a possessive kiss. "I'll see you at home." He turned and walked away without saying goodbye to Jason.

Ben was trying to trust Michael. He did trust Michael. He just kept getting flashes of the time he nearly cheated on Michael with a doting fan. He tried to shake that out of his mind. Jason was a different student and Michael was a different man. Anthony had been his almost mistake. Michael would never cheat on him. If only Michael wasn't so oblivious to how wanted he really was.

_**

* * *

Ben and Michael's House later that night**_

Michael shuffled quietly into the house to find Ben sitting in the living room. "You didn't need to wait up." He said as he sat down next to his husband.

"I know."

"But I'm glad you did."

"Really?" Ben asked and kissed Michael. Michael pulled away and starred guiltily at his hands.

"Jason has a crush on me!"

"I figured that out." Ben sat up a bit straighter as a large lump materialized in his throat.

"Well, you coulda told me! I didn't figure it out until he kissed me. I pushed him away and explained that I didn't feel the same, but I wanted to tell you about it before… well I don't know before what… maybe before it became a Lifetime movie. I feel awful Ben. I cheated on you and I broke a kid's heart. He looked all squashed when he ran out of the store. Are you mad?"

"Not at you."

"Don't be mad at Jason, he's just a kid."

"I'm not really mad at him either. I just feel a bit betrayed. He was a good student and I tried to trust that he liked you based on hero worship not attraction. I also told him we were married so it wasn't like he didn't know."

"You can't flunk him or anything can you?"

"I wouldn't do that to even the worst of my students. It'll just be a bit harder to be fair to the kid, but I will."

"You know I love you, right?"

Ben almost felt guilty for chuckling as he wrapped his arms around his small husband. "I know, Michael."

Michael curled into the warmth and security of his husband's arms.

_**

* * *

Carnegie Mellon the next morning**_

After class Jason approached Ben and handed him a slip of paper. "Could you sign this?" Jason seemed to be asking his shoes.

Ben took the paper, looked at it and replied, "I'm not letting you drop this class. You are one of my best students."

"But… I kissed your husband! Don't you hate me?"

"I can't deny that I was upset when Michael told me, but I'm a teacher. I want smart students in my classes and I think you should remain. I'd appreciate it if you stayed away from Michael and the comic store, but I'd like you to stay in class. If you feel that I am treating you unfairly later in the semester I promise I will let you go without an argument. Will you give me a few weeks to prove I can separate work and life?"

Jason nodded and left the room.

_**

* * *

Carnegie Mellon a few weeks later**_

Jason had moved to the back of the room and was much less vocal during class. He still contributed once in a while, but not very often and not as energetically as he had in the beginning. His work quality didn't falter, but he never turned things in a week ahead of time any longer. He never looked Ben in the eye.

**_

* * *

Michael's Store __first day of break after semester_**

Ben and Michael were leaning across the counter of the store kissing and pretending to discuss what Ben was making for dinner when Jason came in holding hands with a tall boy with dark messy hair. Jason approached the counter his friend following behind him. Ben and Michael fell silent.

"I'm glad you're both here. I wanted to apologize for all the trouble I caused. I feel terrible about how I acted. I also wanted to thank you professor. You never treated me like the boy who tried to steal your husband away. I also wanted to thank you because if it wasn't for you I wouldn't have met Sam." Jason glanced over his shoulder at the now blushing Sam. "He was in your class too. He sat in the back and the first couple of classes after the incident I was pretty upset, and Sam was really nice and well… It never would have happened if I was still sitting in the front row trying to suck-up."

"I'm glad we could help," Michael responded, unsuccessfully trying to hide a grin. His mother's genes were sneaking in making him proud that he was responsible for the hook-up of such a cute couple.

"Well we've got to get going. Thanks again."

Jason and Sam left the store hand-in-hand.

Ben and Michael returned to _discussing dinner_.


End file.
